Joe Philbin, who didn't seem impressive on "Hard Knocks," has guided his Dolphins to a 4-3 record.

Joe Philbin, who didn't seem impressive on "Hard Knocks," has guided his Dolphins to a 4-3 record.

Photo: Wilfredo Lee, Associated Press

Image 2 of 3

After a few false steps, Greg Schiano is starting to get his Bucs moving in the right direction.

After a few false steps, Greg Schiano is starting to get his Bucs moving in the right direction.

Photo: Brian Blanco, Associated Press

Image 3 of 3

Joe Philbin leading new-coach derby

1 / 3

Back to Gallery

You gotta love the phrase "buy in" when it comes to players and coaches. After all, do the players really have a choice?

All NFL players buy in with new coaches. The question is for how long. How long until the guys in the locker room roll their eyes and say, "OK, that guy is bogus"?

Some coaches get tuned out in their first season. With some like Andy Reid, it doesn't happen until their 12th or 13th year.

This season, there were seven new coaches - five in their first year, as Rams coach Jeff Fisher had won big in Tennessee, and Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel was an interim coach at the end of last year and previously led the Browns.

Of the five, Miami's Joe Philbin is having the most success. The Dolphins are 4-3 behind a tough run defense, running back Reggie Bush and a bright young rookie quarterback, Ryan Tannehill. I didn't give Philbin much of a chance when I watched "Hard Knocks" on HBO during training camp. Philbin didn't seem like a commanding presence or as if he was confident in his ragtag bunch.

HBO must have cut out the good-coaching stuff to get in more of Chad Johnson's empty boasts or melodramatic stuff. So blame HBO for everybody sleeping on Miami.

Indianapolis' Chuck Pagano has been inspirational with his battle against leukemia, but we're not going to give him too much credit for a 4-3 team since he has been in the hospital a month.

Schiano was a former college coach (Rutgers) who likes rules, can come off as a little cheesy and turned off many NFL company men early in the season. He had his Bucs team charge Eli Manning when the Giants quarterback took a knee to let the clock run out.

He got on the bullhorn and said teams never quit, and then he walked off with one timeout left on the scoreboard.

Luckily that won't be his legacy, as in the past month the Buccaneers have started to look dangerous. Josh Freeman, Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson have led Tampa Bay to 102 points the past three games, and the defense is sixth against the run.

"You don't expect everybody to buy in to the change and the completely different way of doing things from the very beginning. But we've been very persistent, and he's been very consistent in his message, and we've started to buy in."

The things Schiano preached in April and May are starting to come true. Players watch sports movies. ESPN Classic. They want to believe, and if they see things they are doing start translating into wins, they will do them again, faster and better.

That's the point Allen hopes his Raiders are at, after two straight wins over now 1-6 Jacksonville and now 1-7 Kansas City. Fool's gold? Maybe, but since when do you throw away any kind of gold.

Oakland is better defensively this season, especially against the run, and new linebacker Philip Wheeler has been a revelation. The offense has been a mixed bag, but the Raiders are shooting themselves in the foot less often after a record-breaking number of penalties last season.

"I think, really, the whole team is starting to get a little bit of a feel for what we're trying to get accomplished, how we're trying to do things, and they're getting more comfortable with our schemes and our systems," Allen said. "As they get more comfortable with that, hopefully we'll continue to get better."

Jacksonville's Mike Mularkey brings up the rear at 1-6. One of the things he thought was important was cutting back on touchdown dances. To eliminate the chance for excessive-celebration penalties.

So the Jaguars bought in and stopped scoring touchdowns altogether. They have 16 for the season.